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Dominican Republic wins World Baseball Classic

The Dominican Republic beat Puerto Rico 3-0 in the World Baseball Classic championship game at AT&T Park. Minnesota Twins right-hander Samuel Deduno combined with four relievers on a three-hit shutout.

The Dominicans won all eight games and outscored their opponents 36-14 in becoming the first team to go undefeated in a WBC. Japan won the first two tournaments in 2006 and 2009 but did not get through either event with an unblemished record.

"DR has huge talent," Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "Other teams also had great talent and stars from the major leagues but the DR has a passion, desire, the drive to really show this kind of amazing performance, and they did accomplish it."

And the Dominicans reveled in their accomplishment, particularly after being eliminated from the first round in 2009. Manager Tony Pena clutched the trophy tightly as he talked about what winning the WBC meant to the island nation of 10 million that produces more major-league players per capita than any country.

"I had had enough of the shame of not having a trophy like this," said Pena, the New Yankees' bench coach. "Thank God this group of men was able to accomplish what we wanted, which is to put our country at the top in terms of baseball. This trophy says it all for the DR."

Dominican closer Fernando Rodney who saved seven of the eight wins and introduced the rally plantain, which he shook in the bullpen whenever his team needed a boost, was ecstatic.

"I just want to wave my country's flag high in the air," said Rodney, who pitches for the Tampa Bay Rays. "We proved we are the best baseball country in the world."

The Dominican Republic topped Puerto Rico 3-0 on Tuesday to win the World Baseball Classic. Second Baseman Robinson Cano was named WBC MVP after hitting .469 with two home runs. (March 20)
AP

When asked how such a small country reached such a lofty status, Rodney smiled.

"Because we eat lots of plantains," he said. "Dominicans eat more plantains than people from any other country."

The rally plantain didn't help Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who went 0-for-3 for the Dominican Republic in the championship game. However, he was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player as he finished 15-for-32 (.469) with four doubles, two home runs and six RBIs.

Cano still made an impact Tuesday night as Rodriguez decided to intentionally him in the first inning with game scoreless, one out and a man on third base. Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion followed with a two-run double to right-center field off losing pitcher Giancarlo Alvarado, which was all the Dominicans needed on a night when five pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout.

"This is something that you never are going to get it done by yourself," Cano said. "So I want to thank the guys, my teammates, the manager, also the Dominican team for giving me that opportunity to be here with all these guys, all this great talent. And it's like I said, without my teammates, I would have never won an MVP. So I would say it's not only me, it's about the whole team. We proved that (throughout the tournament) and in this game."

Puerto Rico catcher Yadier Molina chases down the ball but is unable to make the play after Dominican Republic center fielder Alejandro De Aza bunts the ball during the World Baseball Classic championship at AT&T Park.
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

Puerto Rico center fielder Angel Pagan slides safely back to first base against Dominican Republic during the first inning of the World Baseball Classic championship at AT&T Park.
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

The Dominican Republic celebrates its semifinal victory over the Netherlands at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The Dominicans moved into the championship game with a 4-1 win over the Dutch.
Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

Dominican closer Fernando Rodney delivers during the ninth inning. Rodney closed out the Netherlands with a perfect inning and has saved six of the Dominicans' seven victories in the tournament.
Kelley L. Cox, USA TODAY Sports

Dominican hitter Moises Sierra brings in a run with an RBI double in the fifth inning. The Dominicans moved to 7-0 in the tournament and are looking to become the first team to run the table.
Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

Puerto Rico right fielder Alex Rios (51) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of the World Baseball Classic semifinal against the Japan at AT&T Park. Puerto Rico defeated Japan 3-1.
Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

Italy's Chris Colabello, middle, is congratulated at home plate by teammates Anthony Rizzo, left, and Chris Denorfia after Colabello hit a three-run home run against the Dominican Republic in the first inning.
Alan Diaz, AP

Team Italy players celebrate after beating Canada 14-4 in the eighth inning of a World Baseball Classic in Phoenix. The game ended due to a run rule after Italy reached a 10-run lead over Canada.
Charlie Riedel, AP

Players and coaches of team Venezuela observe a minute of silence to pay tribute to late President Hugo Chavez before the start of the World Baseball Classic first round game against the Dominican Republic in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Andres Leighton, AP

Home base umpire Greg Gibson, in black, tells South Korea's starting pitcher Song Seung-jun, right, he's calling a balk in the first inning against Australia at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan.
Wally Santana, AP

Taiwan's relief pitcher Kuo Hung-chih delivers a pitch against the Netherlands in the eighth inning of their World Baseball Classic game at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan.
Wally Santana, AP

The Netherlands' infielder Jonathan Schoop is hit with a foul ball at bat against Taiwan in the first inning of their World Baseball Classic second round game at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan.
Wally Santana, AP

Taiwan's left fielder Yang Dai-kang celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Netherlands in the sixth inning at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan.
Wally Santana, AP

Kang Min-Ho of South Korea reacts after a collision with Jonathan Schoop of the Netherlands in the seventh inning during the World Baseball Classic game between South Korea and the Netherlands at Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan.
Chung Sung-Jun,Getty Images

Taiwan's first baseman Peng Cheng-min slides into home plate against Australia in the third inning of their World Baseball Classic game at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan.
Wally Santana, AP

Australia's shortstop James Beresford, right, sends the ball back to first baseman Mike Walker to get Taiwan's Kuo Ten-wen in a pickle in the sixth inning of their World Baseball Classic game at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan.
Wally Santana, AP

Japan's catcher Shinnosuke Abe, right, prepares to tag out Australia's Chris Snelling at home in the second inning of their exhibition baseball game at Kyocera Dome in Osaka, western Japan, in preparation for the World Baseball Classic tournament.
AP

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Puerto Rico made a surprising run to the final but finished 5-4 and was never able to solve the Dominicans in three cracks at them, losing in each of the three rounds in San Juan, Miami and finally cold and wet San Francisco.

The Puerto Ricans failed to score in the last 23 innings of those games and the Dominican pitching staff was dominant again on a 58-day night that at times included heavy rains.

Minnesota Twins right-hander Samuel Deduno was the starter and winner, allowing two hits in five innings. Though he walked three, he also struck out five to get out of some jams.

Pena called on his strong bullpen to close things out. The Tampa Bay Rays' Fernando Rodney worked around an error by Kansas City Royals infieder Miguel Tejada to pitch a scoreless ninth, combining with the Detroit Tigers' Octavio Dotel, the Texas Rangers' Pedro Strop and the San Francisco Giants' Santiago Casilla on four shutout relief innings.

The Dominican relievers finished with a streak of 25 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

"Samuel did a great job, just a great job," Pena said. "He was fighting himself at times and he gave us five good innings. After that, I figured why not turn it over to the bullpen because they have been great."

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar doubled in the Dominican Republic's other run in the fifth inning off Milwaukee Brewers prospect Hiram Burgos, who relieved Alvarado at the beginning of the second inning.

Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes doubled and tripled for the winners and Aybar also had two hits.

"This win is all about the people of the Dominican Republic," Reyes said. "They were hungry waiting for this moment and we did it. We gave everything that we have and we left it all on the field."